This invention relates in general to casting processes for producing cast articles and in particular to a mold handling apparatus for use in such a casting process.
In a casting process, mold handling is involved in almost every step of the casting process. For this reason, all mold handling steps must be streamlined as much as possible to protect the mold prior to pouring. Molds are not always used immediately after they are created, so some method of handling these molds must be in place. To complete a mold, two halves (cope and drag) are typically assembled. After a part is cast, it is know to use mold rollover devices to invert the mold for part removal. A rollover can also be used to assemble two mold halves, or for assisting with the removal of a casting from a mold half.
Cores, such as sand shapes, are inserted into the mold are used to make internal sections in a casting. Cores must be handled in the same manner as the mold to prevent damage. Many times, cores are created from a different type of sand so they must be segregated from the rest of the molding system until they are placed in the molds. Core handling lines, core rollovers and core conveyors are typically used for this purpose.
Once assembled, molds will either be moved to a pouring area or a holding area. The moving of molds can be accomplished in many ways. Automatic lines will have a mold handling system of indexing mold cars or a mold car moving on a loop that brings molds from the molding station to the pouring and shakeout areas. Large molds are handled on mold car systems that are loaded from a tight flask, cope and drag machine, or a molding line. Transfer cars are used to move molds from one conveyor system to another depending on the mold's destination. Mold loaders are used to move molds from conveyor systems onto automated mold loops. In the pouring area, molds will be staged, poured and allowed to cool before moving to shakeout. The staging of the molds can be done manually with a series of conveyor systems or can be totally automated, with a mold handling loop. After pouring, molds are cooled and then moved to a shakeout area where the casting is removed from the mold. One typical method of doing this is by using a known mold rollover apparatus. A typical mold rollover apparatus is operative to capture or retain the drag mold containing the casting and flip over or invert the drag mold so that the casting falls away from the captured drag mold. Unfortunately, such known mold rollover apparatuses can cause damage to the casting due to the manner in which the casting is removed from the drag mold. Thus, it would be desirable to provide a mold rollover apparatus which minimized the damage to the casting yet was simple and reliable.